docs: def column_state(num_lev=30,
                   num_lat=1,
                   lev=None,
                   lat=None,
                   water_depth=1.0):
      """Sets up a state variable dictionary consisting of temperatures
      for atmospheric column (``Tatm``) and surface mixed layer (``Ts``).
  
      Surface temperature is always 288 K. Atmospheric temperature is initialized
      between 278 K at lowest altitude and 200 at top of atmosphere according to
      the number of levels given.
  
      **Function-call arguments** \n
  
      :param int num_lev:         number of pressure levels
                                  (evenly spaced from surface to top of atmosphere)
                                  [default: 30]
      :param int num_lat:         number of latitude points on the axis
                                  [default: 1]
      :param lev:                 specification for height axis (optional)
      :type lev:                  :class:`~climlab.domain.axis.Axis`
                                  or pressure array
      :param array lat:           size of array determines dimension of latitude
                                  (optional)
      :param float water_depth:   *irrelevant*
  
      :returns:                   dictionary with two temperature
                                  :class:`~climlab.domain.field.Field`
                                  for atmospheric column ``Tatm`` and
                                  surface mixed layer ``Ts``
      :rtype:                     dict
  
      :Example:
  
          ::
  
              >>> from climlab.domain import initial
              >>> T_dict = initial.column_state()
  
              >>> print T_dict
              {'Tatm': Field([ 200.        ,  202.68965517,  205.37931034,  208.06896552,
                      210.75862069,  213.44827586,  216.13793103,  218.82758621,
                      221.51724138,  224.20689655,  226.89655172,  229.5862069 ,
                      232.27586207,  234.96551724,  237.65517241,  240.34482759,
                      243.03448276,  245.72413793,  248.4137931 ,  251.10344828,
                      253.79310345,  256.48275862,  259.17241379,  261.86206897,
                      264.55172414,  267.24137931,  269.93103448,  272.62068966,
                      275.31034483,  278.        ]), 'Ts': Field([ 288.])}
  
      """
      if lat is not None:
          num_lat = np.array(lat).size
      if lev is not None:
          num_lev = np.array(lev).size
  
      if num_lat is 1:
          sfc, atm = domain.single_column(water_depth=water_depth,
                                          num_lev=num_lev,
                                          lev=lev)
      else:
          sfc, atm = domain.zonal_mean_column(water_depth=water_depth,
                                              num_lev=num_lev,
                                              lev=lev,
                                              num_lat=num_lat,
                                              lat=lat)
      num_lev = atm.lev.num_points
      Ts = Field(288.*np.ones(sfc.shape), domain=sfc)
      Tinitial = np.tile(np.linspace(200., 288.-10., num_lev), sfc.shape)
      Tatm = Field(Tinitial, domain=atm)
      state = AttrDict()
      state['Ts'] = Ts
      state['Tatm'] = Tatm
      return state